Golf and samurai swords meet in Miura Golf blades

I have speculated in the past on a connection between the samurai tradition and golf’s popularity in Japan. Think about it: Golf allows the player to carry 14 specially-designed, artfully crafted long metal implements, which could, in a pinch, be used to kill someone.

In short, golf clubs are about as close to samurai swords as most Japanese can get today, considering that simple ownership of a real sword in Japan requires one to procure an expensive license.

As further evidence of the samurai-golf connection, consider Katsuhiro Miura, founder and master club-maker for Miura Golf, who studied the meticulous forgings used in the creation of samurai swords, and has transferred that knowledge into forging golf clubs.

Miura has been making some of the most highly sought-after forged blades (golf clubs, not swords) on the market for five decades. In club-design circles, he’s said to have “the hands of God.”

Even if you’ve never heard his name, you’ve no doubt seen Miura’s handiwork: His irons were wielded by Ian Woosnam (1991 Masters), Jose Maria Olazabal (1994 Masters), Retief Goosen (2001 U.S. Open), and Raymond Floyd (1995 Senior PGA) to figuratively behead their rivals. There are also unconfirmed reports that Miura irons were used by Tiger Woods in his Titleist days.

How could that be? The answer also lies in the samurai connection:

Miura and his god-hands have been hired by several major equipment companies to custom-build clubs for the companies’ staff pros to keep said high-profile pros happy.

His status, then, is not so unlike that of the ronin samurai, who were masterless samurai during Japan’s feudal period (1185–1868). Back then, a samurai warrior became masterless if his master was killed or ruined. Miura is masterless for another reason: Not only is Miura Golf his company, but more importantly, he is peerless at what he does.

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TravelGolf.com’s Kiel Christianson comments on golf technology, from balls and clubs to apparel and shoes, instruction and fitness He also blogs about the golf lifestyle, including food, wine, and golf courses and resorts around the world.

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